"I couldn't help it," Lin Ziyou said, revealing her most genuine thoughts to Lin Ziyou, in front of whom she didn't need to pretend.
The next day arrived quickly. As soon as dawn broke, Wu Caiwei busied herself with styling Lin Ziyou's hair and applying makeup. Although she knew her intentions weren't entirely pure, what if her young lady truly met her destined prince?
In her opinion, Lin Ziyou possessed a stunning beauty, but not the type favored by the matriarchs of noble households. She made slight adjustments to Lin Ziyou's eyebrows and the corners of her eyes, transforming her appearance into one that was both beautiful and dignified.
Lin Ziyou didn't consider such subtleties. She only felt that she looked much more composed today. However, after boarding the carriage, Madam Lin gazed at Dong'er for a long time.
Wu Caiwei knew that her small tricks could not escape Madam Lin's notice, but it was harmless. As if unaware of being scrutinized, she lowered her head, avoiding Madam Lin's sharp gaze.
While Madam Lin wanted others to witness her daughter's beauty, she also didn't want her to bring shame upon the Lin family's reputation. Along the way, she repeatedly cautioned Lin Ziyou to maintain her demeanor, adhere to proper etiquette, and not wander off.
Lin Ziyou had attended numerous banquets in the past year, but this was her first time gathering with so many young ladies and their mothers. She felt a little nervous. Upon hearing Madam Lin's instructions, she nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Lin Ziyou's appearance and temperament made her a focal point wherever she went. Many ladies had already inquired about her background from Madam Lin. Upon hearing her name, they recalled the events that transpired in the palace a year prior. After all, they were well-traveled and had sharp ears and eyes.
Some families of comparable status who were considering marriage proposals immediately retreated upon hearing this. Their sons were destined to serve in the imperial court, and if the Emperor knew who they married, it might affect their official careers.
However, for those whose sons were not ambitious or who wished to take her as a concubine, it didn't matter. Concubines did not need to appear in public; they only needed to be beautiful and capable of captivating a man's heart.
As for those with unaccomplished sons, there was even less concern. They had never envisioned their sons achieving high office, let alone impacting their future prospects. Their primary objective was to keep their sons from frequenting brothels.
Madam Lin's purpose for attending this event was twofold: to expose Lin Ziyou to the wider world and to foster relationships with the other ladies. After everyone had met Lin Ziyou, Madam Lin asked the younger ladies to entertain themselves while she mingled with the older women.
The two found a secluded spot to enjoy some peace.
Not long after, a lady and her maid approached from another path. Seeing them, the lady exclaimed with pleasant surprise, "You must be the Lin family's eldest daughter, right? I was present when your mother introduced you to everyone just now, and I wanted to meet you then. I didn't expect to encounter you here."
"May I ask who you are?" Lin Ziyou inquired politely, feeling a little overwhelmed by the woman's excessive enthusiasm.
"I am Shangguan Xi, the daughter of the Shangguan family. Elder sister, you are truly beautiful, like a celestial maiden," Shangguan Xi said, looking at Lin Ziyou with admiration.
This made Lin Ziyou a bit shy. Blushing, she replied, "You are beautiful too."
"Elder sister, I really want to be your friend. I remember there is a pond in this garden, and a pavilion by the pond. I'll go check if anyone is there first. If not, I'll come back to get you, and we can go sit and chat there," Shangguan Xi said, looking at Lin Ziyou with anticipation, as if she would cry if Lin Ziyou refused.
Lin Ziyou nodded reluctantly. She felt a little uncomfortable but didn't want to appear unsociable, especially when invited so warmly.
Watching the lady and her maid disappear, Wu Caiwei flashed a knowing smile.
A moment later, Shangguan Xi returned to fetch her. She took Lin Ziyou's hand and skipped ahead, chattering animatedly about the scenery along the way. Lin Ziyou could be heard exclaiming in surprise from time to time.
Meanwhile, Wu Caiwei walked alongside Shangguan Xi's maid, exchanging whispers. "My name is Yuhuan. What is your name, sister?"
"I am Dong'er," Wu Caiwei replied concisely.
Subsequently, Dong'er subtly tried to glean information from Yuhuan, and Wu Caiwei, not to be outdone, extracted some useful details. When Yuhuan asked probing questions, her answers were watertight. She answered, yet it was as if she hadn't, vague and elusive. Finally, Yuhuan realized she was getting nowhere and stopped engaging with her.
Soon, they arrived at the pavilion Shangguan Xi had mentioned. The scenery here was indeed beautiful. The lake was quite large, with several small boats moored on it. Young masters and ladies often enjoyed themselves here in their leisure time.
Lin Ziyou had never seen such a sight. She hadn't expected such a large lake within the garden. In her experience, such lakes were usually found in cities or on the outskirts. Truly, the officials in the capital were different.
"Sister seems very interested in the water. How about we take a boat ride?" Shangguan Xi suggested, noticing Lin Ziyou's eyes fixed on the water.
Lin Ziyou was about to agree immediately when she felt Dong'er tugging at her clothes. The words caught in her throat, and she said with some embarrassment, "Although I'd love to go with you, it's not convenient today."
Wu Caiwei's action was not subtle, and Shangguan Xi glanced at her discreetly. Then, as if nothing had happened, she continued to engage Lin Ziyou in conversation.
They walked towards the edge of the pavilion without realizing it. Suddenly, Shangguan Xi exclaimed, "There's a butterfly!"
Lin Ziyou reflexively leaned forward to look. In that swift moment, Shangguan Xi lost her balance and stumbled directly towards Lin Ziyou.
Wu Caiwei, while seemingly admiring the surroundings, kept Lin Ziyou in her peripheral vision. Seeing what was happening, she quickly pulled Lin Ziyou aside. However, Shangguan Xi's unbalanced body was already in motion and plunged directly into the pond.
The three people in the pavilion were stunned. Lin Ziyou became utterly flustered, stammering, "What do we do? What do we do?..."
As she spoke, she made to jump into the water to save Shangguan Xi. Wu Caiwei looked her in the eye and said sternly, "Calm down. Can you swim? If you jump in too, who will be rescued first? You'll just be causing more trouble."
"But we can't just leave her," Lin Ziyou retorted.
"Don't worry, someone is already going in to save her," Wu Caiwei said, her face grim as she looked towards the water.
Upon hearing this, Lin Ziyou quickly followed her gaze. To her astonishment, she saw a man jump from the opposite bank and swim rapidly towards Shangguan Xi, who had appeared out of nowhere.
Lin Ziyou was about to say something when Wu Caiwei firmly gripped her hand and shook her head. Lin Ziyou's mind was in turmoil. On one hand, she trusted Dong'er completely. On the other hand, she couldn't stand by and watch the woman who had been chatting and laughing with her moments ago have her reputation ruined. But if no one saved her, would she drown here?
Lin Ziyou felt a terrible ache in her head. She couldn't come up with any good ideas.